High Court notice to Delhi govt over 2 wine shops at UP border

Delhi High Court on Monday issued notices to Delhi chief secretary and Excise Commissioner of Delhi on a petition by Kaushambi residents seeking closure of two wine shops, situated on Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. 

The Delhi side has no residential area but UP has several densely populated posh residential areas. ?? 

“Those who come to those shops create a lot of nuisance in the area. They shout, fight and eve-tease regularly and this has become a serious problem in the area,” said V K Mittal, president of Kaushambi Apartments Residents Welfare Association (KARWA). As the lawyers were on strike on Monday, Mittal himself represented the case in court and successfully convinced the judge that the residents were facing a lot of problems created by these drunkards. He also said that the shops were opened against the directions of the Supreme Court. As per the order of Supreme Court in 2008, no liquor shops could operate within 100 metres of any religious place, school, hospital, public resort and residential area. “These liquor shops were established in 2006 much after Kaushambi came in to existence,” he added. Mittal alleged that the Delhi government is not shutting down these shops because of revenue.  

“I have met Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for several times on this issue. He had assured either to close down these shops or shift them from here but nothing happened,” claimed Mittal. He further claimed that Kejriwal had been an office bearer of KARWA when he used to stay in Kaushambi and were always against these two wine shops. “The Excise Commissioner of Delhi maintains that he had rights to open wine shops on Delhi-UP,” he added further.